These Lakers were, to a degree, integrated in Kobe and Shaqs image. That vision has come to fulfillment over the previous a number of games. Both Laker stars are firing on all cylinders heading into the second round. When the two of them are playing this well together, the Lakers are almost unsurpassable..
The switch cant keep turning.
The Lakers havent exactly concealed their problems with the bubble, and the last few days have been particularly difficult for them as they were one of the groups that leaned towards leaving Orlando following the shooting of Jacob Blake. This series most likely ought to have been a sweep, yet the Lakers lost Game 1.
The Blazers werent excellent enough to penalize them for that, however the Rockets are. The Lakers cant pay for to relieve into games or series anymore. The Lakers have been up and down since arriving in the bubble, and they can no longer manage it.
Portlands organizational competence shines through again.
Portland mightve folded prior to even getting here in Orlando. Rather they went 7-2 to reach the postseason. They mightve just mored than happy to get there. Then they won Game 1 of this series. They couldve folded when they lost Lillard. Instead they pushed the Lakers to the brink in Game 5. Aside from C.J. McCollum, their leading scorers were a gamer they signed for the veterans minimum (Carmelo Anthony), a second-round pick in his 2nd season (Gary Trent Jr.) and a center who returned from a broken leg only a month back (Jusuf Nurkic)..
Portland has actually never had championship-caliber skill throughout this run with Lillard, but they have a championship-caliber organization in every other regard. The culture developed by Lillard managed to finish even without him on the flooring for the closeout game. They still have a lot of lineup concerns to address this offseason, however as long as Lillard remains in location, the Blazers will be a risk in the Western Conference..
The Blazers made them earn it, but after losing the series opener, the Lakers are officially moving on to the 2nd round after 4 straight wins. The Blazers kept up all night even without Damian Lillard, but ultimately, the Lakers pulled away late in the 4th quarter.
The Blazers, on the other hand, put up a worthy effort, but their injuries ultimately doomed what could have been an appealing season. Without Lillard, Trevor Ariza, Rodney Hood and Zach Collins, they managed to make a No. 1 seed sweat. That will not mean much in the record books, but its a motivating sign for next season. If these teams fulfill in the 2021 playoffs, expect a far closer series if the Blazers can return to full strength..
Like Kobe and Shaq all over again.
The styles are various. Anthony Davis made more 3-pointers in Game 5 alone than Shaq made in his whole career. Kobe Bryant didnt make a routine of publishing playoff triple-doubles. LeBron balanced one for the series. But the NBA has mostly lacked the conventional mix of a superstar big and a super star ball-handler completing for championships together in recent years. LeBron won with guards in Dwyane Wade and Kyrie Irving. The Warriors won with shooting. However no team has ever come closer to the turn-of-the-century Laker formula than these Lakers..
James and Davis scored 79 points on 28-of-37 shooting in Game 5. It may have come from Danny Green rather of LeBron, but we even got a symbolic ending to this one. The Kobe-Shaq Lakers beat the Blazers on the way to their very first champion 20 years back and buried them with an alley-oop from Bryant to Shaq.
The Blazers made them earn it, however after losing the series opener, the Lakers are formally moving on to the 2nd round after four straight wins. The Blazers kept up all night even without Damian Lillard, but eventually, the Lakers pulled away late in the 4th quarter. The Kobe-Shaq Lakers beat the Blazers on the way to their first championship 20 years ago and buried them with an alley-oop from Bryant to Shaq. The Lakers cant afford to alleviate into video games or series anymore. Rather they pushed the Lakers to the edge in Game 5.
